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F. J. SWANSTON.

MEANS FOR LIGHTING` AND EXTINGUrSHING GAS LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.29.1915.

Patented June 24, 1919.

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F. J. SWANSTON. MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND'EXTINGUISHING GAS LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29.1915.

I 1 ,307,644. Patented June 24, 1919.

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FREDERICK JAMES SWANSTON, 0F CHRISTCI-IURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

MEANS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS-LAMPS.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24, 1919.

Application led October 29, 1915. Serial No. 58,553.

T0 all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J AMES SwANs'roN, a citizen of the Dominion of New Zealand, and residing at Christchurch, in the Provincial District of Canterbury, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Lighting and Extinguishing Gas-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for lighting and extinguishing gas lamps, and provides apparatus whereby the above operations can be carried out by a person located at any desired distance from the lamps.

Heretofore, it has been a common practice to employ pilot lights for the purpose of lighting gas lamps, but these pilot lights were not satisfactory under all conditions. For a. considerable period oftime the need has been felt of means whereby a gas lamp could be lighted and extinguished from adistance and without the inconvenience of a pilot light.

By my invention, the above operations are carried out by means of electrical apparatus attached to a gas lamp and connected by wires to press buttons or the like, or 'by switches or other suitable means of making contact, the lamp being lighted by pressure applied to one button and remaining lighted until pressure is applied to another button, whereby the lamp is extinguished.

The drawings herewith illustrate the in* vention, and will now be referred to for the purpose of a detailed description.

Figure 1, is a side elevation,

Fig. 2, a front end elevation,

Fig. 3, a plan,

Fig. 4, a rear end elevation, and

Fig. 5, a reverse side elevation of part of the electric apparatus,

Fig. 6, is a sectional elevation through a valve,

Fig. 7, is a side sectional elevation, and

Fig. 8, a frontJ elevation of a lamp fitted with the invention,

Fig. 9, is a diagrammatic view of electric wiring,

Fig. 10, is a side elevation of press buttons.

The flow of gas to the burner of the lamp is controlled by a. valve closing by gravity or by a spring and the valve illustrated in the drawings is admirably suitable for the purpose and for operation by my apparatus.

The gas supply main 1 of the valve 2, enters a vessel 3 adapted to hold mercury 4 and covered by a. -cap 5. A bell 6 has its rim always submerged in the mercury, and a smaller bell 7 inside the bell 6 covers the mouth of a pipe S leading to the burner of a gas lamp 9. This construction of valve is well known. The bells 6 and I7 are adapted to rise and fall, so that when the rim of the bell 7 dips into the mercury, the bell is sealed by the mercury and gas cannot. pass from the main 1 into the pipe 8, but when the rim of the said bell 7 is raised above the surface of the mercury, gas -freely passes into the pipe S and to the burner of the lamp, the mercury then forming a seal to the bell 6 only.

A rod 12 secured to the bells 6 and 7 passes through the cap 5 and is provided with a weight 13, or if desired a spring could be used instead of a weight.

A base plate la fixed to the valve 2 has a bracket l15 whereon electric coils 16 are mounted. A lever 17, pivoted by a pin 18 in a bracket 19 fixed to the base plate 11, has at one end an armature 21 adapted to be attracted by the said coils 16. The other end of the lever 17 passes beneath the weight 13 andk is adapted to lift the same and the bells 6 and 7, when the armature 21 is attracted by the coils 16. The movement of the lever 17 is arrested by a contact screw 24, connected to an electric circuit, and mounted in a bracket 25 fixed to the plate 14;.

Other coils 26 mounted on a bracket 27 fixed to the base plate 14 are adapted to.at tract an armature l28 mounted on a spring 29, which presses the armature in the direction of the weight 13, so that when the said weight is raised a nib 30 on the armature passes below and keeps the weight in its raised position. The bells 6 and '7 are thereby also raised, so that gas can pass freely from the main l to the pipe 8, so long as the nib 30 keeps the weight raised.

A transformer or induction coil 33, mounted upon a pillar 34 fixed to the plate 14, has a high tension terminal 35 and a low tension terminal 36.

The whole of the above described electrical apparatus is contained in a case 37 fixed to a gas lamp or near thereto. In Figs. 7 and 8 a gas lamp of the inverted burner type is illustrated with the apparatus attached to its side.

The trembler-39 of the transformer is fixed near the battery 40, and a single trembler is sufficient for any desired number of gas lamps. i

The press button 41 for lighting the gas and the press button 42 for extinguishing the gas have a. common terminal plate 43 connected by a Wire 44 to the battery 40.

When the button 41 is closed, current passes from the battery 40 through the ter-' minal plate 43 vand button 41 t0 the post 16X, Fig. 4, which pestis insulated from the base 14, and from thence through the coil 16 and to ground through the base 14, the other side of the battery also being grounded. coil 16 When energized attracts the armature 21 and raises the other end of thelever 17, this lever thereby raising the Weight 13 and the bells 6 and 7. Gas tliendiows freely from the main l-through the pipe 8 to the burner of the lamp.

The attraction of the armature 21 moves the lever 17 into contact with the screw 24, and current then also passes through the trembler 39 to the low tension terminal 36 and through the low tension coil to the post 34, which is insulated from the base 14, and from thence through Wire 31, screw 24, lever 17 and bracket 19, to earth through the base 14. The high tension coil is grounded at one end throughthe base 14 and its other end is connectedto the terminalB, which is in turn connected to 'the sparking'mechanism, this Imechanism alsoV being connected to ground. The pressing ofthe button 41 thus turns on the gas and closes the low tension circuitV of the transformer 33, the high tension circuit of which then causes a spark to be givenoff by the sparking mechanism 34a, the terminals of which are in close proximity to the burner of the lamp so that the gas issuing from the burner is lighted by means of the spark.

lVhen the button. 42 is closed, current passes through the terminal plate 43 and through this button to the post 26X (see Fig. 4), which post is also insulated from the base 14:, and from thence through coil 26 and to earth through base 14. The energization of the coil 26 causes the armature 28 to be attracted so that the nib 30 is Withdrawn, thereby allowing the Weightl and the bells G and 7 to fall by gravityand to cut off the flow of gas, thereby extinguishing the light.

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination Witha gas burner and a valve controlling the supply of gas thereto, of means for opening said valve electromagnetically, and additional means operated automatically by said first named means for igniting the gas fioiving from said burner, said additional means comprising a transformer, the secondary circuit of which in- Thc cludes a sparking device located adjacent the burner, the first named means operating to close the .primary circuitof said transformer.

2. The combination With a gas burner and a valve controlling the supply of gas thereto, ofmeans for opening said valve electromagnetically, additional means, including a transformer, operated automatically by said first named means to ignite the gas flowing from `said burner, and an electrically controlled lock to Vreleasably hold the gas valve in its open position.

3. The combination with a. gas burner and a v alve controlling the supply of gas thereto, of means for opening said valve electromagnetically, and additional means operated automatically by said-first named means for ignitingthe 4gas flowing from said burner, comprising a transformer, a contact closer for the primary circuit of said transformer, a spark plug in thesecondary circuit thereof-located adjacent said burner, and an electrically controlled lock to releasably hold said valve in its open position.

4. Means for lighting and extinguishing gas lamps-comprising a support, a gas valve controlling the supply ofgas to the lamp burner, openingmechanism for said valve mounted on-said support consisting of a lever coaoting with the valve, an "armature carried by saidllever, and an electromagnet coperating` With said armature, means forv releasably holding the valve open, and another electromagnet cooperating with the last named means for closing the valve, a transformer having a-primary circuit closed by said lever when operated by said electromagnet, and a sparking device adjacent the burner of said lamp and connected into the secondary circuit of the transformer.

5. Means for lighting and extinguishing gas lamps comprising a support, a valve controlling the supply of gas tothe lamp b-urner, opening mechanism for said valve mounted on saidsupport, consisting of alever co-acting with the valve, an armature carried by said lever, and an electromagnet cooperating with said armature, a transformer having a primary circuit closed by said lever when operated by said electromagnet, and a sparking device adjacent the burner of theflamp and connected into the secondary circuit of the transformer.

6. Electric means for lighting and extinguishing gas lamps, consisting of a source of electricity having one terminal grounded and the contactor of a 1multiple contact switch connected to the other terminal of said electric source; an electromagnet` for opening the gas valve of saidlamp connected in series with one contact of said switch and ground; a series connection between the second named terminal of said electric source and ground comprising a circuit interrupter, the primary coil of a transformer,

and a circuit closer actuated automatically by the energization of said electromagnet; a series circuit from ground to ground including a pair of spark electrodes and the secondary coil of said transformer; and a valve-closing electromagnet having one terminal grounded and the other terminal connected to a second contact on Said multiple contact switch.

7. Mechanism for lighting gas lamps, comprising in combination a valve for supplying gas to the burner of the lamp, an electric circuit normally open, a movable combined valve opening and circuit closing member, stationary electromagnetic means for moving said member to open the valve and close the circuit, and an electrical sparking device adjacent the burner for igniting Copies of thi: patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the the gas flowing therefrom When said circuit is closed.

8. Mechanism for lighting gas lamps, comprising in combination a valve for supplying` gas to the burner of the lamps, means operable to open said valve, and electrical sparking means including the primary circuit of a transformer adapted to be closed by the first named means when operated to open the valve, the secondary circuit of the transformer including a sparking device located adjacent the lamp burner.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK JAMES SWANSTON.

Witnesses:

A. D. REESE, G. A. J. HART.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

